


the mask of you

by palalabu



Series: fraternizing with the enemy [3]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Masks, covid protocol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28750470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palalabu/pseuds/palalabu
Summary: Being an open secret in the paddock is one thing, but being caught by one of the cameras around them and being speculated about as tabloid fodder is a completely different mess that neither of them wants to deal with. So, discreet is the operative word the two of them use here.
Relationships: Lando Norris/Carlos Sainz Jr
Series: fraternizing with the enemy [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2080416
Comments: 3
Kudos: 91





	the mask of you

They’ve agreed to try and find a way to somehow have a clandestine meeting, as Carlos loves to put it, at least once during race weekends now that they’re not teammates anymore and their time together is greatly reduced. It could be stolen kisses in the parking lot. A secret visit to each other’s hotel room. Or, if they’re feeling bold, slip into each other’s motorhome, or as Lando dramatically calls it, “the enemy’s lair”. Their relationship is not a secret as much as no one ever openly asks them about it. And of course, being an open secret in the paddock is one thing, but being caught by one of the cameras around them and being speculated about as tabloid fodder is a completely different mess that neither of them wants to deal with. So, discreet is the operative word the two of them use here. 

And this weekend, they’re doing option number two. Which is a few minutes kissing in Carlos’ car in the parking lot before they enter the paddock. It’s a Ferrari, so don’t blame Lando for choosing it over the rented Mercedes Mclaren provided for him, even though what they’re doing has nothing remotely to do with driving the car. Lando supposes there’s something naughty about making out in a car paid for by The Scuderia.

Still they never let themselves go anywhere further than a few long, breathtaking kisses. Even though sometimes Carlos’ hand would wander under Lando’s shirt. And Lando’s own hand would find its way to clutches on Carlos’ dark lush hair. But they know they’re going to have to face their colleagues and act professional once they walk into the paddock, so they better not ended up with half hard dick or reeking like sex after. Self restraint is of a paramount importance.

Carlos would even go as far as setting an alarm to keep them from staying too long in the car. And it would always successfully force them to involuntarily spring apart from each other whenever it shrills.

“I hate that you are a responsible person,” Lando grumbles while still trying to pull Carlos for another kiss.

“Someone has to be in this relationship.” But he actually lets Lando press his lips against his one last time. 

“Ugh fine.” Lando finally pulls away from Carlos and starts to gather his backpack, his phone, his access card. Leaving Carlos to whine for the loss of proximity between them. 

“I thought you said you don't like me for being a responsible guy.” His hand still clutches on Lando’s.

“I did. But I’m dying for breakfast right now. So…” Lando steals another kiss from his boyfriend before opening the door. And to his pouting boyfriend he says, “I’m still gonna see you tonight.” Carlos comically pouts harder.

Lando steps out of the Ferrari with a laugh. He walks past the front of the car and waves to Carlos through the windshield with a grin. Cheeks still flushed from their brief encounter. 

He makes sure to put on his mask before entering the paddock. A thing that he wishes stays in 2020, but, here he is in 2021, and still, wearing a mask is one of the strict policies that F1 and the rest of the world have to impose. If only people would just stay at home and keep their mask on.

Lando doesn't have much on his mind as he starts the long walk to his motorhome. He’s mostly thinking about how long Carlos is going to stay in his car and time his own arrival at the paddock so no one will notice that they came together. They’ve been quite careful so far and no one has said anything. So Lando can see them doing this for the long run until they’re ready to announce their relationship. 

It’s only when he walks across the Ferrari motorhome that Lando notices that those people in red who are busy working in and around their motorhome have their eyes set on him. Some are even going as far as stopping whatever they’re doing right there and then. Lando, not liking the attention, tries to make himself look smaller by keeping his head down and buries half of his face into his McLaren hoodie. 

They can't know that he just made out with their driver in their car, can they? Lando wonders and speeds up to get to his motorhome faster. 

But now that he thinks about it, the Ferrari crew aren't the only one who are staring at him. He's been getting looks all the way since from Williams motorhome. But it was mostly just people giving him a second look. Not dead stopping in the middle of the paddock like some of the Ferrari crew. 

“Excuse me. Lando.” He hears someone call his name. And it was Silvia, the Head of Communications of Ferrari, who’s standing behind him, looking concerned. “Where’s Carlos?”

Lando’s eyes widened in surprise. A million questions running through his mind, wondering why this lady is asking him about Carlos’ whereabouts. Why does she know that Lando knows where Carlos is? And did Carlos tell her about their relationship? Because they haven't talked about it between the two of them and they certainly haven’t made an agreement about telling anyone else other than their closest inner circle, which are their trainers and managers. And that’s just because it’s inevitable. With how close they’re working together, Jon, Rupert, Caco and Mark will know whether they tell him or not. But they never talked about any one in their teams. Not in McLaren, and certainly not anyone in Ferrari, which Carlos has just been a part of for a few months now. 

So don't blame Lando when he starts to stutter and tell her, “I don’t know what you mean. Why are you asking me about Carlos?”

The red haired woman makes a little frustrated noise before stepping closer. “You’re wearing a Ferrari mask,” she tells him softly, so that only he could hear. 

Lando’s hand immediately flies to cover the mask in panic. As if the whole paddock haven't already seen him wearing a very obviously not orange mask. 

“I didn't— I thought— I was in a hurry when I—.” Now he can’t really say ‘leaving Carlos’ car’, can he? Because then the next question would be what was he doing in that car when he wasn’t even supposed to be there.

But Silvia seems to already understand the situation anyway and just nod, saying, “Clearly.” And immediately followed by, “Don’t try to take off your mask, Lando,” she stops her just as Lando tries to unhook his mask off his ear. “We have to always wear one in the paddock. You’re going to get into more trouble if you take it off now.” 

“Oh.” Damn, he really does need adult supervision at all times.

“Just hurry up and go to your motorhome. I’m sure Charlotte is already waiting for you with a new mask.” She huffs. “A correct one.”

“Charlotte knows?!” 

Just the thought of having his own communications manager waiting for him in their motorhome after this serious mistake he just made sent shivers down Lando’s spine. 

“Emma from Williams informed us in the group chat when she saw you walking past their motorhome.” The famed F1 teams press officers group chat, Lando of course has heard about it. They’re all quite close with one another from what he gathers. “Charlotte decided that making you change into a new mask in the middle of the paddock would draw even more attention. So she’s waiting for you right now. And to make sure Carlos wouldn’t make the same mistake, I need to hand him his new mask outside the gate. But i can’t even reach him. His phone is busy. He’s probably panicking and trying to call his cousin.” She explains. “So, now, can you please tell me where he is, so we can at least not make this matter any worse?”

Lando sighs in defeat. She’s right. The situation might turn even worse, so it’d be best if he just confirms her suspicion. 

“He’s still in his car. In the parking lot.”

“Ok, great. Thank you. Talk to you later, Lando.” And when Lando’s eyebrow rises, she says, “Oh don’t give me that. You know we all have to have a meeting and discuss this later.” Then she pats Lando’s arm in what is supposed to be a reassuring gesture. “One crisis at a time, though,” she tells him before leaving to find Carlos.

Great. Now he has another PR officer watching over him. Lando groans into his hand. If only he wasn’t so dumb. 

True to Silivia’s word, Charlotte is waiting for him in McLaren motorhome entrance with a disapproving frown. A McLaren orange mask clutched in one of her hands. 

“I’m so sorry,” Lando blurts out before Charlotte could say anything. “I should’ve told you—”

“Lando, please. Save it.” Charlotte stops him with a stern look. “The majority of the paddock already know what’s going on between you two. And it’s not anyone’s business if you want to share that to the world or not. But if you choose to do so, you should've known better than to announce it by wearing a Ferrari mask.”

“We weren’t going to,” Lando argues weakly. He’s taking off the Ferrari mask and replaces it with the McLaren one Charlotte hands it to him. “I left his car in a hurry. I forgot to check.”

Charlotte continues her scolding, detailing how it should be Mark’s job to take care of Lando’s personal side of things and not hers. But since now everyone finds out via Lando wearing a Ferrari’s mask, somehow, she has to get involved. And now they have to work with Silvia to make sure their releases have the same tone. And how Racing Po… Aston Martin’s communications officer has already drafted a tweet to make fun of the situation (“Lando Norris to Ferrari 2022: Confirmed!”) which is not even the worst part in this whole debacle, but enough to give her headache. Sky F1 already contacted her requesting a joint interview with Carlos and Lando, and she says the two of them better agree to it, because otherwise they’re going to keep pestering her for the rest of the year. 

She storms away, citing that there’s a press release to make and urging Lando to have a talk with Carlos and decide whether they want to announce their relationship or not. And that it’s important to have the talk soon because, well, there’s a press release to be made. 

Lando is still apologizing to her back when his phone vibrates in his pocket. And he already knows who sent him the message. 

_ ‘Charlotte told you off?’ _ Carlos texted straight to the point.

_ ‘Yes. 😑’ _

_ ‘Not as bad as Silvia to me, i hope.’  _ Then he quickly followed it by,  _ ‘And she told me that we have to make a decision. Do you want to announce it or not?’ _

Lando sighs in frustration. It’s kind of annoying that he’s rushed to come to a decision. But it’s his fault that they’re in this situation, so honestly he can’t blame it on anyone. 

_ ‘Honestly, I don’t care. Charlotte says people already know anyway. So I’d just do whatever you think is best. Be the responsible one in this relationship like you said you are please.’ _

Few minutes pass before Carlos replies to him. And it’s just a short,  _ ‘Meet me in front of your motorhome,’ _ that is so vague and doesn’t actually say anything. 

Lando stands tentatively in front of McLaren’s motorhome, and he has made sure he’s wearing the correct orange mask this time. The paddock is still restricted to only essential people this year, and he’s grateful for that. He can’t imagine what it’d be like if he made such a mistake with fans, guests, and more media people around. 

He watches Carlos walking briskly toward him from the direction of Ferrari’s motorhome. And even with reduced personnel around them, they are catching some attention. He’s pretty sure there’s at least two cameras pointing their way this moment. He wonders if it was Netflix’s and if their story would be featured in an episode of Drive to Survive. 

“Hi,” Carlos calls him out of his own musing once he reaches the spot where Lando is standing. 

“What are we doing now?” he asks without beating around the bush. 

“Here.” Carlos is holding out Lando’s old McLaren mask he left earlier. And by the looks of it, he wants Lando to take it from him. “I’m returning this to you.”

Lando can’t help but to raise his eyebrow. Clearly Carlos can see that Lando is already wearing a new one. And he also must know that the team has extra masks ready at all times. So really he doesn't have any need for his old one. 

“No. Seriously, why are you here?” he asks again, more pointedly this time so Carlos would just explain to him what he’s doing. 

But his boyfriend just shrugs. “Don’t want people seeing you with a Ferrari mask and think it’s Charles’.” 

Lando bursts into laughter. “You idiot.” He can only see the way Carlos’ eyes light up in glee, but Lando is sure there’s also a cheeky grin behind his mask. “Making sure people don’t get the wrong Ferrari driver, huh?”

“Yup.” Oh how Lando wishes he could see the cheeky grin behind his mask. “Are there cameras around?” Carlos asks softly, and Lando sure he’s the only one who can hear him. 

“There’s at least five right now.”

“Good then.” Carlos looks determined now. “I’m going to kiss you.”

“What? We’re wearing masks. You can’t ki—”

But Carlos can kiss him. On his temple. And it feels weird with his mask on. So Lando tells him so.

“Yeah. Sorry,” Carlos apologizes. “Covid protocol. What can you say. But at least now they’ve seen it themselves.” He pointed his head to the side where he knows there’s a camera recording every detail of their interaction. 

“So this is your idea of making an announcement?” 

“Better than talking, no?” 

Lando shrugs in agreement. “Yeah, I guess.” 

He did say he’d trust whatever Carlos decided to do. And their teams will release their statement to the press soon. So now everyone can stop speculating and let them be.

“Oh shit.”

“What?” Lando looks up and sees the dread in Carlos' eyes. “What now, Carlos?”

“Do you think we’re breaking bubbles?”

It goes without saying that what he means is in public, because obviously, he and Lando have broken all kinds of bubbles in their private life whenever they meet each other. But Lando is still confused as to what Carlos is referring to, because surely just talking with people from different teams is not considered as breaking bubbles.

Carlos face pales. “I’m sorry, Lando.”

Lando’s frown deepened. Before it widens as realization hits him. 

“Oh fuck you!” Lando shoves Carlos away. “Of course you had to take it too far and kissed me,” he rants before stomping off, back into McLaren’s motorhome. “Now I have to face Charlotte’s wrath. _ Again!” _

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by drarry trope of harry walking through the great hall wearing slytherin tie after making out with draco. seems fitting for our boys in rivaling teams.
> 
> i'm also on [tumblr](https://palalabu.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
